Under the Moonlight
by MeggieJay
Summary: Bella just moved to Surfside Beach. Her first night there, she runs into Edward Cullen at the pier at sunset. They find comfort in each other, and quickly become friends. But could there be hidden feelings both are too afraid to admit? AH, Canon couples
1. We Meet

**Author's Note**

**Hello all! **

**So this is my new story, and it's about the Swan family moving to Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Edward needs to think, and he happens to find Bella at the beach. They become best friends, but they both feel something more. This story follows their journey to becoming more than friends. This story is AH, and there will eventually be Canon couples, but not at the very beginning.**

**That's about it for now. More at the end!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Twilight…or Emmett. Stephenie Meyer does. Curse her and her lovely imagination. **

_**Under the Moonlight**_

**Chapter One**

**We Meet**

_**Bella Swan**_

The ride was horrible. I didn't cry, though. I just felt numb. Not even my book or music could help.

When we pulled up to the new house, I sucked in a breath. We're here, we can't go back now. Our old house is sold, and my dad's job starts Monday. Most of our boxes are at the new house already; only our essentials came in the cars with us today.

I loved Jacksonville; it had been my home for my whole life. It was hot and sandy, and so full of character. I had friends and school all figured out, and now I have to start all over again.

"Bells, we have to go in now," I heard my brother, Emmett, tell me. I jumped at the sound of his voice. I must have fallen into a daydream in the passenger seat. Emmett and I rode in his jeep to Surfside Beach, South Carolina, while our parents rode in our mother's car.

I nodded and stepped out of the car. It was around seven thirty at night by the time we reached South Carolina. The four of us quickly brought the rest of our belongings into the house. My dad ordered pizza. Apparently, he already has the best pizza place picked out and on speed-dial.

While we waiting, we each separated to our bedrooms. I held my messenger bag on my shoulder as I pushed open my door. I was met with quite the shock.

My mom had completely decorated my room.

The walls had a light pink lace design on one wall, and the three remaining walls were solid light pink. The bed was huge; most likely a queen size. It was centered on the main focus wall, and was all white with fuchsia pillows. There were huge, clear sliding doors to the left of the wall with the bed that led out to my own little balcony. The view was spectacular; I could see the beach and the ocean perfectly. The doors were framed by fuchsia curtains that reached the floor. There was also a simple white table that would be used as a desk, with a sleek, clear chair behind it, and a small vase of red spider lilies that just so happen to be first grown in South Carolina. I really loved that I could look out at the ocean while doing my homework.

My favorite piece in the room, though, was probably the old-fashioned chair on the wall opposite my bed. It was wood with a fuchsia and light pink pattern. I could just picture myself reading in that chair. I had to try it out. I set my bag down on the floor near it and sat down in the chair. It was brilliant.

"Knock knock," I heard from my door. I looked up to see my mom leaning against the door, smiling at me. "Surprise."

"Thank you so much, mom," I said, and gave her a small smile.

"You like it?" she asked.

"I love it," I told her honestly. "It's so different from what I would have picked, but it's good." My mom knows this move was, and still is, hard on me, and I know she was just trying to make it a little bit better, and I had to thank her for that.

She told me the pizza was here and I walked to the…_living room _with her. My dad and brother were sitting on the couch, shoving slices into their mouths. I guess the cable was getting hooked up tomorrow, so they had to settle with movies for the night. They were currently watching Transformers. _What childish boys._

Even with seeing my new room, I still wasn't in the best of moods. I pretty much sulked on the floor, barely touching my pepperoni pizza.

"When we're done eating, Bella and Emmett go unpack some boxes in your rooms. I don't want them sitting there forever," mom said.

Something inside of me just snapped. I threw my plate down on the coffee table and stood up. I slipped on some flip flops and ran out the door, ignoring the yells of my parents. I ran (well, okay, fast walked) down towards the beach, which was barely a two minute walk from our house. I found the pier and sat down in the sand, leaning against one of the wooden pillars. I dug my feet into the warm sand and closed my eyes, just listening to the sound of the waves crash into the pier.

_**Edward Cullen**_

This was weird. Sitting in your own living room, in a chair completely alone, with your parents, two sisters, and their significant others. Sound fun? No, it's beyond awkward.

My youngest sister (and the baby of the family), Alice, had put in some chick flick. But nobody was watching it but me. Well, I was trying to focus on it, because that meant I could pretend I was spending time with my family. That's what my mom insisted, that we all watch a movie, as a family. But we all knew from the start that this wouldn't be anywhere close to "quality family time." My parents are sitting on the loveseat, holding hands. My mom's got her head on my dad's shoulder, and he's kissing the top of her head. Alice is sitting in a chair, on top of her boyfriend, Jasper's, lap. He's whispering in her ear. And the middle child, Rosalie, is sitting on the floor with her boyfriend, Nick. They're, of course, making out behind the coffee table. From my parents view, they can't see them, but I can. _Yuck._

I couldn't take all the _romance _in the room anymore. I stood up abruptly and walked towards the door. Everybody was so caught up in their love lives that they didn't even notice me leave.

I took the very familiar path down to the pier. We've been living in Surfside since I was born, seventeen years ago. I love this town. It's a perfect size, at the population of just about five thousand. The small beach is beautiful, and never too crowded. I usually walk out at night to clear my head because there's nobody there at night. I sit under the pier instead of on it because it's more discreet, and the less likely you are to have somebody find you.

But apparently not tonight. No, tonight there's a figure of a person sitting against one of the pillars. Curious, I walk over. As I get closer, I see it's a girl. She looks to be around my age. Her eyes are closed, which lets me look at her without scaring her. And boy, do I want to look. She is stunning. Her face is nice and round, with her chocolate brown locks of hair pulled up into a ponytail. She has very full and plump lips that I feel the urge to just lean down and kiss. She has some curves, but not too many. She's wearing a Florida Gators sweatshirt, making me wonder-

Suddenly, her eyes snap open. It's like one of those scenes from a horror movie, where the supposedly dead body opens their eyes really quick, scaring the crap out of the autopsy performer. I admit I screamed and possibly shit my pants. She didn't even flinch, instead just stared at me with her admittedly beautiful, chocolate eyes that matched her hair.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me? Or do you just go around often and stare at girls while they're eyes are closed?" she asked. Her voice is like honey; so soft and smooth.

I put my hand on my heart and breathed deeply. My heart was pounding a million beats per second. "No, I just have never seen a person sitting below the pier at night before, and I come here often," I explained, hoping she didn't think I was a stalker. "How the hell aren't you freaking out? That scared the shit out of me, and I was the one looking," I added.

She shrugged. "I could feel you watching me. Don't worry, I had the pepper spray ready behind my back," she smirked.

"Thank God you didn't use it," I muttered.

I stood there for a few moments, waiting for her to say something else. Should I just leave, or can I sit down? Far away from her, of course. I'm sure she came here for her privacy, and who am I to-

"If you're going to stay, sit down," she said, snapping me out of my train of thought.

Well who was I to argue with this beautiful woman?

I sat down across from her, leaning against my own pillar. "Can I have a name?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Bella. Bella Swan."

_Bella._ That means "beautiful" in Italian. I wonder if her family is Italian.

I could either win her over with this next statement, or completely creep her out.

"_Un bella nome per una bella ragazza," _I stated in flawless Italian. **(AN: Translations are in the bottom Author's Note)**

"_Grazie," _she smiled, and she blushed. It made her face even more stunning, if that was possible. "You speak Italian?"

I nodded. "I know a few phrases. You?"

"My family's Italian. My great-grandparents came to America from Italy. My grandparents still speak it every once in a while, just to make sure my brother and I keep up with our "native culture." Bella made air quotations around "native culture."

"I bet you always have great food on holidays," I grinned. She nodded and smiled back.

"And your name is?" she asked.

Oh, duh! I didn't even tell her my name after she told me hers. I just went right into trying to impress her with my fluent Italian. "Sorry. I'm Edward. Edward Cullen. I'm seventeen years old and just finishing my junior year in high school. I have two younger sisters, Alice and Rosalie, and I love music."

She laughed. It was like music to my ears. "I'm Bella Swan, and I'm seventeen years old and finishing my junior year also. I have an older brother, Emmett, and I just moved here from Jacksonville," she repeated.

I looked at her curiously. "Jacksonville? That explains the sweatshirt," I said, pointing at the Gator sweatshirt.

Bella looked down, as if trying to remember what she was wearing. "Yeah, I loved Florida. I was going to go to the University of Florida for college." She sighed, probably remembering how good her life had been.

"You can still go there, you know. Just because you moved to little 'ol South Carolina doesn't mean you have to go to a South Carolina college," I told her. She didn't say anything. "Why did you have to move, anyways?"

Bella picked up a random rock and threw it at the ocean. "My dad got recruited to the Surfside Beach Police Force. He took the job because he could be Chief here, and that earned more money than a regular policeman in Jacksonville."

Her father is a policeman. Shit.

"Eating dinner in a new house full of boxes that need to be unpacked was too much for me, so I came down here," she continued.

I picked at the sand next to me. "That's got to be rough," I commented. She nodded, again. We both seem to be doing a lot of that tonight.

"Why did you come down here? Having a terrible night too?" she asked, meeting my eyes again.

"It's supposed to be family night tonight, but of course it turned into couples' night. I got sick of watching some bad chick flick while my parents and sisters kept feeling up their significant others. I came down here to think," I told her.

We sat in silence for quite a while. The sun started to set, making a rainbow of purples, pinks, and oranges in the night sky. I pointed it out to Bella, who was sitting with her back to the sunset.

"Come over here, you can see it better," I told her, patting the sand next to me. She got up and came to sit next to me. I could feel the heat radiating off her, making me tingle.

_Making me tingle? I sound like such a girl._

"_Che __è bello," _she whispered.

"_Sono d'accordo," _I whispered back.

And then she did something that kind of shocked me. She laid her head on my shoulder. "For some reason, I feel completely comfortable with you," she said. I could feel her breath on my neck. She smelled like strawberries. _Mmm…_

"Me too," I said quietly. "You're easy to talk to."

She picked her head up to look at me. "This is going to sound weird, and maybe a little creepy, but could I maybe text you, or call you sometime if I need to talk to somebody? I know we just met twenty minutes ago, but-"

"Are you forgetting that I'm the one who stood over you and stared at you?" I laughed. "Of course you can call or text me. Hand me your phone." She gave me her phone and I programmed my number into her contacts.

"Thanks," she said, blushing again. "Well, I better head home. I kind of left unexpectedly. My mom's probably freaking out." She stood up and brushed the sand off her butt. I couldn't help but stare.

I quickly stood also. "I'll talk to you later, then?" I asked. More like hoped.

"Yeah." She looked like she was thinking about something, before she leaned over and gave me a quick huge. "Thanks for listening." And she ran off, back home.

Once I got home, Jasper and Nick had left, and only Alice was sitting on the couch, looking through a fashion magazine.

"Hey baby sis," I said.

"Where'd you disappear to?" she demanded.

I held my hands up in a defenseless position. "Hey, you guys were all in your own little worlds. It's not exactly easy being single and being around you people all the time," I defended.

Her face softened and she ran over to give me a hug. "Oh, big brother, I'm sorry we ruined your night!"

I chuckled. "It's okay, Ali. My night didn't turn out so bad after all."

I thought about Bella's number in my pocket and smiled. _Not so bad at all._

**Author's Note**

**Translations:**

_**Un bella nome per una bella ragazza-**_**A beautiful name for a beautiful girl**

_**Grazie-**_**Thank you**

_**Che **__**è**__** bello-**_**That is beautiful**

_**Sono d'accordo-**_**I agree**

**If any of you lovely readers are fluent in Italian and these translations are wrong, let me know so I can fix them! They very well could be incorrect!**

**So that's it! The first chapter! I'm very excited about this story. I've been working on many stories lately, and they all deal with Edward and Bella being older. I wanted to write one with them being teenagers. I miss the lightheartedness of it all. So that's how this was formed! I found a picture of a pier at sunset and it just came to me. **

**Pictures of Bella's bedroom, sweatshirt, and the picture of the pier where Edward found Bella/what inspired this story are on my homepage. I also have pictures of what I picture Edward, Bella, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, Nick, Carlisle, and Esme to look like in this particular story up, so go check those out!**

**Please review! All comments and suggestions are very welcome! I love hearing what you guys think, and how you think I can improve my writing.**

**Thanks for reading! I will update soon, a few chapters are already written!**

**Signing off,**

**Meggie Jay**


	2. We Are Surprised

**Author's Note**

**Hello my dearies! **

**I sure hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving (I know I gained about 20 pounds!) and maybe you even went Black Friday shopping today (I do it online. I don't like to fight the people). **

…**Now on to chapter two!**

**Oh, wait! I forgot to mention that translations will always be at the end of the chapter! **

**I'm finished now!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or anything related to it; that all belongs to Stephenie Meyer. However, I do wish I had Edward Cullen as my hunky boyfriend. *Sighs***

**Chapter Two**

**We Are Surprised**

_**Bella Swan**_

Monday came quickly. The weekend was spent unpacking our house, and we finally finished it all. Ever since meeting Edward Saturday night, I felt a little less alone in this strange town.

_Edward._

He was gorgeous, with his tousled bronze hair and his vibrant green eyes. His smile was breathtaking; I would do anything to see it again. And he was _nice. _He was compassionate towards me, and he actually listened to me. He made me feel like a real person. I never had any real friends back in Jacksonville, only people that pretended to be my friends. More like people I sat with at lunch so I didn't have to sit alone.

I hadn't used his number yet. In all truth, I was scared. Scared that he wouldn't want to talk to me again, or scared that he wouldn't even answer. Scared of rejection, I guess.

So that was what I've been thinking about for the past two days. Edward Cullen. I'm even thinking about him now as I'm driving to my new high school.

I found a parking space right away, but I guess that's because I got there _really _early. I had to go to the office and get my schedule. So I did just that. The secretary was very friendly. She instantly made my day just a little brighter. She offered me a map of the school, even, but I declined. This is a town of five thousand people. My old school had more students than this whole town. How big can this school honestly be?

I was wrong! I admit it! I was so, so wrong! I couldn't even find my locker!

I was walking down a random hallway when I felt two hands come around to cover my eyes. I shrieked a little, but instantly relaxed when I heard a familiar chuckle. "Guess who?" his velvety smooth voice whispered in my ear.

I spun around. "Edward!" I smiled, surprised. "I cannot believe we go to the same school now."

"Crazy, huh?" he grinned.

Thank God I'd have a friend here. If he wanted to be a friend, that is. I hope he does.

"Let me see your schedule," he said. I handed it to him and he quickly scanned it over. "Perfect! We have all the same classes! How does that happen?" he mused. "This means I can show you where all of our classes are, and you won't look like a new kid," he laughed. I loved the sound of his laugh.

"Good. I've secretly been nervous about being the new kid. That stuff doesn't get easier," I admitted to him.

"That's perfectly acceptable. Need help finding your locker? You looked kind of lost when I spotted you," he smirked.

"_Si maiale," _I said, sticking my tongue out at him. He burst out laughing.

"_Forse, ma io sono un suino caldo," _he shrugged. It was my turn to burst out laughing. He chuckled and took my books in my hand. He carried them as he led me to my locker. I opened it and started organizing my things as Edward leaned against a locker next to mine. "So, what possessed you to come to school so early on a Monday?" he asked.

"It's my first day," I said in a voice that implied he was an idiot. "I don't know where anything is, and I can't be late _on my first day, Edward."_

"Fine, fine, I see your point!" he said defensively. "Good thing I'm here to help you," he smiled.

"Yeah, lucky me." I said it with a sarcastic tone, but in my mind, it was totally true. I _was _really lucky.

Everyone was staring at us as Edward walked me to our first class. New kid and undoubtedly the hottest man in school walking together. Interesting.

"Edward!" I heard come out of nowhere. A tiny girl with long, straight black hair pounced on him, which caused him to laugh. Of course he has a girlfriend.

"Hey, sis," he smiled, setting her down back on the ground.

Or not.

"Bella, this is my fiery baby sister, Alice. Alice, this is Bella, my friend. She just moved here," Edward introduced us.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," she said. But she didn't shake my hand. No, she hugged me.

"So this is the girl you were with Saturday night?" Alice asked Edward with a knowing look.

"How could you possibly know that?" Edward asked, shaking his head.

Alice tapped the side of her head. "I know everything, big bro." She pranced away, leaving Edward still shaking his head.

_**Edward Cullen**_

The first half of the day was probably the best I've ever had, and I know it was all because of Bella. I cannot even explain how she makes me feel. It's like she knows everything about me, but doesn't care about the bad stuff. I guess she just _understands _me. It's hard to explain.

In fifth hour history, I told Bella she could sit with me and my family today at lunch. She didn't really like the idea.

"Really, Edward, it's okay. I'll feel like I'm imposing," she insisted, but I wasn't letting her get away with it.

"Sorry, Bella, but I'm not letting you sit alone. Nobody wants to sit alone," I told her. She huffed but didn't give in. "Come on, Florida! I've had to endure sitting with couples my whole high school life, and then you come along, and I _still _have to sit alone? Don't do this to me, Bella!" I pleaded.

Needless to say, Bella sat with me, Alice and Jasper, and Rosalie at lunch.

"Hey, guys, this is Bella. Bella, this is Jasper," I said, pointing towards Jasper, "Rosalie, and…" I looked next to Rose to find Nick not sitting in his usual spot. "Where's Nick?" I asked her.

Rosalie shrugged. "We broke up."

"What? You guys were having the time of your lives two days ago!" I said. Not that this news upset me. I didn't really like Nick.

"Things change, Edward. But I'm fine with it, don't worry," Rose said sarcastically. Not that she really wasn't okay, it's just the way she is; sarcastic.

Rosalie is definitely our mother's daughter, in that they're both very…um, _passionate _and sarcastic. They're the sweetest people in the world until you get them mad. They will go off on you, and you'll wish you kept your mouth shut. I just hope Bella doesn't have to see that side of them yet, and when she does, I hope she's prepared, because I intend to keep her around for a long time, whether it's as my best friend, or something more. I could only hope.

"So Bella, Edward sure took to you quickly. He's usually a stubborn ass who ignores everybody but his own blood. What did you do to break him?" Alice asked Bella. I stuck my tongue out at her, but I couldn't deny what she said because it was true. I don't talk to people unless they're my family or their significant others, whom I usually like (Jasper, not Nick). People just think I'll settle for anything because I'm "good-looking" (Alice's words) and I look like "a normal, slutty jock" (Rose's words). I don't click with the guys at school because they're all idiots who just want a girlfriend to have sex with, but not love, like they should. I don't date because all the girls here are fake and can't hold an intellectual conversation. And quite frankly, they just want the same thing the guys do.

"Well, Alice, I just told him he was my brother from another mother and he fell for my charm," Bella said seriously. Thank God my family is used to sarcasm (see Rosalie's comment above) and they laughed.

Alice mock-gasped. "You mean you're my sister?" she said dramatically to Bella. They threw their arms around each other and laughed. "You're good, Bellsy," Alice commented.

"Ha ha," I faked. "No, actually, we can't tell you how we met," I smirked.

Bella elbowed me in the stomach. "He just doesn't want to tell you that he was staring at me and I happened to open my eyes and catch him. Funny enough, it was him that screamed, not me." Bella recalled the memory and cracked up.

"Thanks," I muttered to her. She snorted, causing me to laugh with her. The others looked at us like we were crazy, but we couldn't stop. Bella had her hand on her stomach and her head was buried in the crook of my neck. I could feel her breath shake on my neck as she laughed. It was driving me crazy; I felt this need to kiss her.

But I didn't. Instead, I just kept laughing with her. I did kind of choke when I heard Rose mutter, "They're made for each other." I quickly looked over at Bella to see if she heard it. I don't think she did. Her laughter did slow, though, but not enough for her to appear as though she just heard Rose call Bella my soul mate.

_**Bella Swan**_

Oh, I heard it. "They're made for each other." I stopped breathing for a moment, but quickly continued to laugh, though not as hard, as to make it look like I hadn't heard Rose. I just hope Edward didn't hear her. As much as Edward being my boyfriend sounded great, I didn't want to ruin our newfound friendship. Plus, I really don't think Edward liked me like that.

After lunch I had Biology with Edward _and _Alice. I sat next to Edward at a table, with Alice behind us.

"So I was thinking we should all do something tonight. You know, to get used to each other. I have a feeling you'll be around a long time, Bella," Alice smiled and winked at me. I blushed a little, having imagined what she meant by that.

"That sounds like fun. Can I maybe bring my brother? He's nineteen and glued to video games. It'd be nice to get him out of the house. He's great, though. He's a big teddy bear," I say, hoping that Alice will be fine with that. I feel bad that he doesn't have any friends here, and he'll have a hard time because he's not in school anymore.

Alice waved off my desperate pleas. "That's fine, Bella! I'm sure anybody related to you is fantastic," she grinned.

Edward didn't seem to care. He just shrugged. This might be difficult because of Edward's lack of social skills. I hope he takes a liking to Emmett.

"What are we doing?" I asked.

Alice grinned mischievously. "Mini golf."

Edward groaned. I looked at him, confused. "Alice is the master of mini golf. Nobody's beaten her yet."

I have to admit, I love a good challenge. "You're on, Alice Cullen," I said seriously, making the "I'm watching you" move with my hand.

"Emmett Swan, get up and get dressed!" I yelled when I walked through the door after school. He was asleep on the couch in just his boxers. When he didn't move, I shouted, "There's a very attractive girl here to meet you!"

That got his attention. He jumped right up. "Where?" he asked, looking around frantically.

I wasn't lying to him. There really was a beautiful girl with me. And a very handsome man, but we won't go there.

After school, I asked Rose if she wanted to come with me. She seemed to warm up to me, and after I explained that my brother was single and very attractive, she figured it wouldn't hurt to come along. Plus, I didn't really know if Emmett would come mini golfing if just I had asked him to. Edward came too, but that's because he said carpooling saved gas. He drove Rose to my house while I drove my mom's car back home.

You should have seen the look on Emmett's face when his eyes landed on Rosalie. I swear he fell in love. It was actually really cute, seeing love at first sight. Rose seemed to feel it too. I've never seen her look so serene.

Not that I've known her long. Three hours hardly counts as "long."

I needed to tell my mom where Emmett and I were going, but I wasn't going to interrupt Emmett's moment of falling in love. My brother's never looked this happy before.

So I took Edward's hand (ignoring the spark that traveled through my body) and went in search of my mother. She was outside, planting some flowers in a garden that wasn't here this morning.

"Mom." She turned around and stood up once she saw I wasn't alone.

"Hi, Bells," she smiled, waiting for me to introduce her.

"Mom, this is Edward Cullen. Edward, this is my mom, Renee."

My mom pulled Edward in for a hug. "Edward Cullen? Is your mother Esme Cullen?" she asked him. Edward nodded. "What a small world! Bella, Edward's mother designed and created your bedroom!"

Wow. I wonder if Edward got any of his mother's creative genes, because she was brilliant. She really knew how to put things together without over-matching.

"That really is crazy," Edward commented. I laughed at that. I was going to say something in Italian, but my mom would have known what I was saying anyways.

"Mom, Emmett and I are going to go mini golfing with Edward and his sisters. Is that okay?" Yeah, that made sense Bella. Ask her if it was okay to go after telling her we were going.

"That's fine, honey! Be back by seven, though. And Edward, it was very nice meeting you. Tell your mother we'll have to get together for dinner sometime," Renee smiled at Edward. He promised he would, and we walked back into the living room. We were met with Emmett (now fully dressed) and Rosalie, foreheads connected, having a quiet conversation. Emmett must have just said something funny because Rose laughed, causing Emmett to smile widely.

Edward coughed and they snapped apart. Emmett stood and took Rosalie's hand. "Ready to go?" Edward asked. They nodded eagerly.

"_Certo che lo sono_," I mumbled. Edward chuckled and led me towards his car. Emmett and Rose took Emmett's new jeep, wanting to be alone.

Of course they did.

"I call pink!" Alice shouted once we reached Cancun Lagoon Golf Course. Edward told me all the mini golf courses in Myrtle Beach (ten minutes away from Surfside Beach and where all the fun things were) were all themed. This one was themed with the Mayan Temple. Kind of eerie, I'm not going to lie.

Alice got the pink golf ball, and Jasper got orange. Rosalie wanted light purple, and Emmett got dark purple to please her. I rolled my eyes; he's whipped already. I picked blue, and Edward went with teal because they didn't have green.

Everyone had taken to Emmett quite nicely. Even Edward didn't do too badly. Emmett cracked some jokes and had Edward laughing. Thank goodness Emmett didn't even think that Edward and I were dating. That wouldn't have gone over well.

I seem to think about Edward and I becoming a couple quite a bit.

"So, uh, Rose and Emmett, you two an item?" Alice asked, raising an eyebrow at the two of them.

Rose cracked a smile and Emmett tightened his hold on her waist. "You bet your bottom dollar we are!" Emmett boomed. "Rosie here likes my muscles," he grinned, showing his dimples. Rosalie slapped his chest but kissed his cheek anyways.

What sickening little lovers.

So apparently going mini golfing as a group means going off as couples. I went off with Edward, which was okay. Let everybody be all coupled and in love.

"You know what?" I said suddenly to Edward. He was hitting his golf ball around Chak's (the Mayan god of lightning and thunder) tomb. "Who needs them anyways? I have my bestie with me." My talking threw him off track and his golf ball landed in the tomb, forcing it to make a roaring noise. I cracked up. Edward threw his little putter down and growled at me.

"You're going to get it now, Florida," he threatened. I giggled like a freaking five year old. He grabbed my waist and threw me over his shoulder, making me shriek. I was met with his butt, and I tried my best to ignore it.

"Edward! Put me down!" I yelled, pounding at his back. I laughed as he pretended to throw me into the tomb. I clung to him for dear life. "Edward!" I screamed again.

He chuckled as he put me safely on the ground. "I'm your bestie, huh?"

I punched his shoulder. "Maybe not after that!" I huffed.

Edward fell to his knees dramatically. "Oh, Bella, will you please be my bestie again?" he cried out. I laughed and pulled him to his feet.

"Of course I will. You're all I've got, after all."

**Author's Note**

**Translations:**

**_Si maiale-_You pig**

**_Forse, ma io sono un suino caldo-_Maybe, but I'm one hot pig**

**_Certo che lo sono-_Of course they are**

**So I felt like it needed to end there! What do you think? Comments and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, flaming is not!**

**Cancun Lagoon mini golf course is a real place, I do not own that either. I have a link to their website on my homepage if you want to see some pictures. The one of the Mayan god's tomb is on there if you're curious.**

**Just letting you all know, this story will focus on Edward and Bella being best friends for a while. I have the chapters planned out, and I know when, and if, they become something more. But you will have to keep reading and reviewing to find out when that is! **

**Remember, review and put me on alerts if you wish! I thank you much for those of you lovely ladies that have done this already :)**

**Signing off,**

**Meggie Jay **


	3. We Eat Dinner

**Author's Note**

**Hello once again! Sorry it's been a few days, but that's probably the way it will be from now on. I only had three chapters written when I first posted the story, so now I have to have time to actually write before I can post (obviously). And sorry for the delay, my internet has been acting crazy lately! I finally called the place and got it fixed. *Sigh* I very strongly dislike my internet provider (I won't say who for the sake of my life). But, it did give me a reason to start the next chapter. I have 4 pages written and plan on finishing it tonight, so review your little hearts out and maybe I'll post tomorrow…**

**Speaking of reviews, I must thank you all for the alerts and favorites, but ladies, I do need some reviews! They are essentially what keep me going. I'd rather not give up this story for lack of inspiration…a special thanks going out to roseskyangel for being the ONLY reviewer yet! Thank you very much, and I'm dedicating this chapter to you :)**

**Now that I'm done ranting about lack of reviews, on to chapter three!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, or any other famous thing/product/person mentioned in this story. *Sighs again* Not even Kellan Lutz….**

**Chapter Three**

**We Eat Dinner**

_**Bella Swan**_

Sure enough, Friday night came and the Swans were heading to the Cullens' mansion to have dinner. Apparently, Esme Cullen was absolutely thrilled to have us over because she just thought Renee was the loveliest person she's met in quite some time.

Esme's words (told to me by Edward), not mine.

We arrived exactly seven minutes late thanks to my mother. One thing everybody needs to know about Renee Swan is that she's always late. I don't think she's ever been on time for anything. Luckily, the Cullens didn't seem fazed by it. There was so much movement and excitement going on in the house. Alice and Jasper were racing each other on Mario Kart. The volume was really loud, but it seemed like it belonged in the room. Rosalie was, quite shockingly, actually, reading a book. Of course, it was about how to do new hairstyles, but it was still a book. I knew she wasn't full of herself and conceited, anyways. And Edward was the one who answered the door, his big, crooked grin on his face.

"Hey bestie," I grinned. He held out his hand to mine and we did our handshake. It sounds so junior high, I know, but Edward thought it would be perfectly cheesy. I did love it though; it made me feel like I truly did have a best friend.

Emmett rolled his eyes and walked over to Rosalie, who he kissed, making her smile.

"Dad, this is Edward. Edward, this is my dad, Charlie," I introduced. They shook hands, and my mom hugged Edward, remembering that she had already met him. I brought my parents over to the living room area where the rest of the Cullen siblings were seated. "Mom, Dad, this is Alice and her boyfriend, Jasper," I pointed to each of them and they waved, having paused their game. Alice hugged each of my parents and Jasper remained his shy self.

"And I'll let Emmett introduce Edward's other sister," I said coyly.

Emmett didn't seem fazed at all. "Mom, dad, this is Rosalie, my girlfriend," he said proudly, kissing Rose's cheek. My parents didn't seem surprised. Of course not, but if I brought home a boy, they'd be all over him like white on rice.

"So nice to meet you, dear," Renee said, hugging Rosalie. "You don't be afraid to tell me if this big goof does something wrong. I'll knock some sense into him."

Rose laughed. "I don't think he'll treat me wrong," she said confidently. I knew Emmett wouldn't. They experienced love at first sight. They'd be together forever.

That and Rose wouldn't let Emmett walk all over her.

Esme decided to make her entrance from the kitchen. Esme Cullen was a flawless woman, with her perfectly bronze curls and her pearls hanging just right on her neck. Her eyes were an emerald green, just like Edward's. She was stunning, just like Edward. Edward definitely took after his mother.

A gorgeous, blond-haired man came out not two beats after her. I assumed it was Edward's father because he looked just like Rosalie with his blond hair and blue eyes. His hair was a little unruly, like Edward's. Just looking at his parents makes me a little uneasy. You can tell they're a family of wealth, and, well, we're just _not._ I hope Rose doesn't take that to heart while dating Emmett.

"Renee!" Esme said excitedly, giving my mom a hug. "How are you?"

My mother hugged her back. "I'm great, and you?"

"I'm good," Esme grinned.

Renee decided to introduce us. "This is my husband, Charlie, and Emmett and Bella." Emmett waved from his seat next to Rosalie. Esme didn't look surprised, so Rose must have told her about Emmett.

"Bella! What a beautiful young lady!" she hugged me. "Edward talks so much about you." That made me blush, of course. I'm not used to guys talking about me in a good way.

"Mom," Edward groaned.

Esme just smiled innocently. "Whoops! That's a little embarrassing, isn't it?"

"Just a little."

She shrugged. "Well anyways! This is my husband Carlisle, and I assume you've been introduced to my children?"

Carlisle and my dad went out into the garage to talk cars; apparently, the Cullens own many cars. Alice and Jasper resumed their game, and Emmett and Rose sat on the couch, completely immersed in each other. Renee followed Esme into the kitchen to finish dinner. Edward and I had nothing better to do, so we went into the kitchen too, but we ate bread and cheese while we waited.

"So Bella, how do you like your room?" Esme asked.

I swallowed a piece of my warm roll. "I love it! I'm not normally a pink kind of girl, but the room is perfect. You're an amazing designer," I nodded.

Esme waved my comment away. "Thanks, darling. Interior design is simply my hobby, but I'm glad you love your room."

I nodded again. "It actually made me wonder if Edward was as talented as you in some aspect of his life," I smirked at Edward, who was sitting on the opposite barstool, facing me. He laughed mockingly at me, confirming my thoughts were correct.

"Edward is a very talented musician," Esme beamed with pride.

"Great, mom, thanks. No woman wants to be friends with the band geek," Edward said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

"I think it's great that you're so well rounded," Renee defended.

I scrunched up my nose. "Personally, I'd have to hear you play before I could decide on if it's worth it to be my friend or not."

Edward gasped and threw a piece of cheese at me. It hit my nose and I started cracking up. "_Zitto!" _he yelled at me. I was holding my stomach and bending over from the laughter spilling from my mouth.

Esme turned around sharply and looked at Edward_. _"Shush! _Non parlare cosi che!" _she scolded him.

I had calmed down a little to look at Edward. He looked like a beaten down puppy. _"Scusame," _Edward muttered, looking at me.

I grinned at him. _"Mi dispiace per prendere in giro voi," _I said, the added, "_Si maiale."_ Edward and I broke out into fits of laughter, remembering my first day at school.

"You didn't tell me your family spoke Italian too," I commented.

Esme returned to her cooking. She had a small smile on her face. "Carlisle has family in Italy. We visit every once in a while, and it's good to know the native language if you want to get around." She stirred something in a pot. "What about you? You must have more knowledge than a school class."

Renee, who was chopping various peppers, spoke up. "Both Charlie and I are full-blood Italians. We made sure Bella and Emmett knew Italian because it's a part of their heritage." More like grandpa and grandma make sure we remember it. Mom and dad could care less, honestly. Both sides of the family aren't very…_charming._

Esme nodded. "Family is very important," she agreed.

Edward and I were told to set the table. I honestly have never seen a more beautiful house than the Cullens. "You know more than a few phrases, Edward," I chided, setting a fork on one of the deep red napkins.

He shrugged. "I guess I failed to mention I had Italian relatives too," he said innocently.

"Yeah, you did." I looked pointedly at him. He sighed deeply. "Just don't keep stuff from me. I don't care what it is, honestly," I told him.

We finished setting the table right as Esme and Renee started bringing in the food. Edward went to get the rest of the family and I helped carry in tons of food. Esme had made stuffed potato skins, barbeque chicken, and grilled peppers. She also put out the rolls Edward and I were eating earlier. It looked delicious.

"Esme, this is too much," Charlie said as he sat down. He looked like he was a kid in a candy store. My dad was a sucker for anything grilled. Emmett had the same look on his face, but Emmett, well, he just really liked food.

"It was my pleasure, really," Esme insisted.

It was pretty chaotic, having ten people dishing out their food at the same time. It did eventually calm down, though, and Renee thought it would be the perfect time to ask what was going on at school. And Alice being Alice just so happened to mention homecoming.

Damn Alice.

"Oh, I'm so excited! Rose and I are going to get our dresses tomorrow!" Alice turned to me. "Bella! I can't believe I didn't even think about this before! You can come with us and find yourself a dress too!" she squealed, totally excited.

"Oh no! No shopping for me. I don't do dances," I said nervously.

Renee and Esme both looked at me in shock. Alice looked like she was about to kill me with the daggers she was throwing at me. "Isabella Swan, you are going."

"I don't have a date," I tried again.

"Neither does Edward," Alice practically growled.

Esme clapped her hands together. "Oh how perfect! Edward, ask Bella to go to homecoming with you!" she looked at him expectedly.

Edward looked like he was choking. Poor boy was put in the spotlight twice tonight. I honestly hope he didn't ask me. I couldn't say no, and I wouldn't want to, really, but homecoming night could cross very dangerous territory. Territory I'd rather not cross.

Everybody was looking at Edward, who sat across from me. He was cutting a piece of pepper, purposely avoiding everyone's eyes. We were both beet red from embarrassment.

"Honestly, Esme, it's fine. I really don't like dances," I tried one last time. I already knew it wasn't going to work, but I had to try.

"Bella, you can't miss your first homecoming in North Carolina! Edward wouldn't mind taking you. Besides, you two are practically best friends," Esme said.

Yeah, that's exactly why it would be weird and abnormal.

"Go ahead, Edward, ask her."

Edward looked at me nervously. He swallowed loudly, and I felt terrible for him. "Bella, would you like to go to homecoming with me?" he asked me, his voice shaking. I knew he wasn't nervous from asking me; it was being persuaded into it and asking me in front of his family _and _my family.

"Of course," I answered. I flashed what I hoped was a reassuring smile at him. He didn't look any better. He actually looked pretty sick.

"Splendid!" Renee beamed.

Yeah, splendid.

"May I be excused for a minute?" Edward asked, his voice strained. He didn't really wait for an answer; he just got up and left.

_**Edward Cullen**_

Shutting the door to my bathroom, I sink down to the floor and use the door as a back rest.

I can't believe I had to do that. I have never been more embarrassed in my life. _Never._ And I've been pretty embarrassed before. But this, this is beyond embarrassing.

I know I have feelings for Bella, that part is a given. I figured that out the first time I talked to her under the pier. She's _real._ I'm pretty sure she doesn't have feelings for me, though. That part was obvious five minutes ago when she tried multiple times to get out of saying yes to me. But honestly, I'll stick to being her best friend if it means she's still in my life.

_Best friend. Best friend who I'm attracted to. Taking her to homecoming._

Ugh!

I had to go back downstairs. I probably just embarrassed myself more by leaving. My whole family and Bella's are most likely making fun of me as I sit here, freaking out.

_Okay Edward, just breathe. Act like a man and get your ass down those stairs to face the music._

As I descend, I hear Alice squealing about something. I hesitantly walked back into the dining room, but nobody really notices. All they're talking about is how Bella's going to get her clothes to our house.

Say what?

"Okay, so I'll follow you home, Mr. Swan and family, Bella will get her clothes, and I'll drive her back to my house," Alice said. She bounces and claps her hands. "Oh this is going to be so fun! We're going to have the best sleepover ever!"

Oh my God. Bella's sleeping over at my house.

This. Is. Ridiculous.

They're trying to kill me. All of them. They know how I feel and they're rubbing it in my face.

It's going to be a long night.

_**Bella Swan**_

Alice and I had changed into our pajamas. Mine were white shorts with red polka dots on them, and a plain red v-neck t-shirt. Alice's were very similar, but were pink.

She had a whole bunch of things for us to do, like chick flick movies, paint each others' nails, read magazines…regular girl things that I never had the chance to do in Jacksonville. I was always really shy, and never really had friends that liked me enough to invite me over.

Alice's room was huge. The walls were ivory, but it worked really well with the décor. It was very textured and printed with rich colors. It's screamed Alice in every way.

Currently, we were lying on her bed. I was flipping through a magazine and Alice was painting her nails. We had Dear John playing (we both had a thing for Nicholas Sparks), but it was more like background noise. We were gossiping.

"So Bella, you can tell me, and be honest. You like Edward, right? As more than a friend?" she asked me.

Oh God. What do I tell her? I can't tell her I think there is something between us, because I wasn't even sure myself. So I had to lie to her? No, maybe I wouldn't have to.

"I…I'm not really sure," I said honestly. I felt much better I didn't have to lie to my new friend, because I knew she would never lie to me.

"Well, I think you two are perfect for each other. Even if neither of you see it," she added.

Alice was asleep by eleven, and I was wide awake. I decided I needed some water and ventured into the kitchen. I passed Edward's room on the way, only to see the light was on and the door was open just a bit. There was a beautiful melody coming from the room. My curiosity got the better of me and I knocked quietly. The music stopped and seconds later the door opened, revealing Edward in a high school baseball t-shirt and boxers. He looked amazing; I wanted to kiss him so badly…

"Hey," I said quietly. "I heard your music and just had to know where it was coming from." He looked stunned, and his eyes might have raked my body quickly.

He snapped out of his trance. "Guilty as charged," he smiled. He opened the door wider and let me in. Once again, a Cullen bedroom shocked me. Edward had a big sleigh bed surrounded by shelves upon shelves of books and CDs. He had a black couch opposite his bed, and a baby grand piano off to the side. It was lit by lamps only, giving it that certain glow. It was beautiful, honestly.

I walked over to the piano and sat down on the bench. Music sheets were everywhere. I looked back at Edward, who was still standing by the door looking nervous. "Will you play for me?" I asked.

He looked hesitant. "Please? It was really beautiful, what I heard," I told him.

Edward caved. He walked over and sat next to me on the bench. He started playing the piece that was actually set on his piano, but it looked like he had the song memorized. _"Esme's Song," _it read.

I couldn't believe he composed this. It was so…_complex _and stunning. I don't know who was calling him a band geek, but that certainly wasn't true. All the band geeks I know can't play anything this good. Edward truly had a talent.

He finished off and just sat, not looking at me. He was probably embarrassed, and he shouldn't be.

"Edward, that was the best song I've heard played on the piano in a long time. And you most certainly aren't a band geek," I whispered. He finally looked at me and gave me his crooked grin.

"That might be a stretch, but thank you," he said genuinely.

We said nothing for a long moment. I laid my head on his shoulder as we sat comfortably. Edward thought it would be good to address the whole homecoming thing.

"I really am sorry if you were embarrassed tonight, and you really don't need to go with me," he rambled. "I mean, we were kind of pressured into the situation, and people just don't get that we're just friends, and-"

I cut him off. "Edward, it's fine. Your sister was dragging me to homecoming, whether I liked it or not, and I'm glad I'm going with you. If I have to go to the dumb homecoming, you would be the first and only person I would consider going with."

He let out a breath and smiled. "Same here, Florida, same here."

"And who knows? We might end up having some fun if we're going together."

**Author's Note**

**And the translations…**

_**Zitto-**_**Shut up**

_**Non parlare cosi che-**_**Don't talk like that**

_**Scusame-**_**Sorry**

_**Mi dispiace per prendere in giro voi-**_**I'm sorry for teasing you**

_**Si maiale-**_**You pig**

**So I was just thinking while typing those….does scrolling down to read the translations bug you? I know I always get annoyed when I have to do that, so I don't know why **_**I **_**do that. Would you all prefer if I put them in bolded letters next to the Italian in the chapter? (Ha! Now you must review to tell me your preference!)**

**There are a few pictures for this chapter, so **_**please **_**go check those out. Do you guys look at the pictures? (Ha! Another thing you must answer!) If not, I will stop posting them and only I shall know the visuals (which will make me sad :'( I like sharing visuals). **

**Here, I'll even post the link! How wonderful! **

**.com/**

**Until next time, dear readers,**

**Meggie Jay**


	4. We Go Shopping

**Author's Note**

**Hello! I am so deeply sorry for the delay! One thing you should know about me: I get very bad migraines, and if you get them, you know that sometimes they're so bad you can barely move. I got one of those Thursday night, and it didn't really go away until Friday night, after many pain meds. So I didn't get a chance to finish this until this morning, and I know it's short, but I wanted to do the whole day of homecoming to be in one chapter.**

**Speaking of homecoming, if you per chance didn't get my AN alert chapter thingy, prom has been changed to homecoming. Long story.**

**So enjoy! I'll try and type faster, but reviews always help…thanks for those, by the way. I really love reading what you ladies think!**

**Chapter Four**

**We Go Shopping**

_**Bella Swan**_

I was having a great dream about Edward taking me on a date. He was really sweet, holding my hand and occasionally kissing me while we walked around the park.

But apparently someone wanted to pull me out of this dream by jumping on the bed I was trying to sleep on.

"Bella! Wake up! We're going shopping!" the way-too-chipper voice of Alice hit my ears. I groaned and attempted to open my eyes. It couldn't have been later than seven A.M.

"Alice, it is too early to shop. Please tell me what store is open at seven A.M?" I groaned, rolling over to look at her beaming face.

She hopped into a sitting position on the bed next to me. "Silly Bella, we have to eat breakfast, and get ready…" she trailed off, and I immediately knew she was going to put me through an hour of hair and makeup, not to mention what kind of clothes she's going to force me into.

I went into Alice's bathroom to brush my teeth and hair. I hated morning breath, and I didn't want my hair looking like a complete frizz-ball in case Edward was at breakfast that morning. I gently brushed it, but it still looked like I had an afro. I pulled it to the side and braided it quickly to smooth it down a bit. Alice walked in halfway through my braiding.

"Where's Rose?" I asked her.

"Brushing her teeth in her own bathroom," Alice replied.

I nodded. "I'm going to go down and see if your mom needs any help," I said.

I heard Alice snort. "More like see if Edward's downstairs," she muttered. I blushed and pretended I didn't hear her. As of right now, I thought of Edward as a really good friend. Maybe it could go further, but I wasn't going to push it. I had previously ruined a friendship because of a relationship, and I'd rather not go through that again. But if he acted on deeper feelings, I wasn't going to reject him. I don't think I could ever reject anything he asked of me. I was putty in his hands. Not that I'd ever tell him that.

The delicious aroma of bacon and syrup hit me before I entered the kitchen. Edward was standing at the island, cooking some sizzling bacon. Esme was cracking eggs next to him. Carlisle was at the kitchen table reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee. It was like the typical American family.

"Good morning," I said, making my presence known. I received three "good mornings" back along with smiles. "What can I do to help?"

Esme waved her hand. "Absolutely nothing, dear. You sit and have a cup of coffee."

I shook my head. "I love cooking, and I insist that I help. What are you making?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward smiling, probably at my stubbornness. "French toast," Esme answered me.

I grinned. "I've been told I make some of the best French toast. Do you mind if I cook, and you sit and enjoy yourself?" I asked Esme. For the short time I've known her, I could see she rarely relaxed.

"Well, if you insist," she sighed, but she was smiling, so I knew she was grateful. I let her finish cracking the eggs while I poured her a hot cup of coffee. She washed her hands and sat next to Carlisle at the table. I saw him take her hand and together they read the paper. It was too cute and sweet.

I saw that Esme had taken out just a regular loaf of bread. I looked around and saw she had a loaf of French bread in the bread box. "Hey, Esme? Can I use the loaf of French bread?" I asked her.

"Oh, sure dear. I was going to make subs for lunch, but seeing as it will just be Edward and I, we can find something else to eat," she answered me.

I looked over at Edward and smiled. He grinned back.

"Be careful, I wouldn't want you to cut yourself," Edward teased me as I started cutting the loaf. I stuck my tongue out at him, but was pleased to hear there was a hint of real concern in his voice. He cared for me.

"Can you get me the cinnamon, Edward?" I asked him, throwing him my megawatt smile. He shook his head but smiled and got me the cinnamon. "Thanks, E," I laughed, bumping my hip against his playfully.

"No problem, B," he chuckled.

Truth is, I liked cooking next to Edward. It was comforting, in a way. I felt right at home, doing something I love with my best friend. And I'd be lying if a little flirting didn't happen. It was mainly just looks and grins because his parents were in the room. And well, I don't know if _Edward _considered it flirting, but it seemed a little strong for just friends. Maybe he really _did _like me as more than a friend, but again, I wouldn't be the one to act upon it.

Everyone complimented on my breakfast, to which I blushed and tried to say that Edward helped. I mean, his bacon was pretty good. I always burned that part of breakfast. I was no good with meat.

I was forced into the shower after breakfast. When I emerged from the bathroom, Alice and Rose were in Alice's walk-in closet, picking out clothes.

"She does look good in purple," Rose agreed with Alice.

"I look good in purple?" I asked, startling them.

"Yeah, and blue," Alice said. "Here, put these on." She thrust some clothes into my hand and I turned back around and went to the bathroom again. So that's why Alice said I didn't need to pack clothes last night. Rose and Alice had picked out a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans, a white lace blouse with a v-neck, and a semi-long purple sweater (it was surprisingly cold out this early in the morning, according to Carlisle's weather report via the paper). The sweater was cute, but my God, could you say painted on jeans? How do people find these things comfortable? **(AN: outfits on my blog)**

Rose had dressed in a medium-wash pair of skinny jeans and a cream sweater with black stripes. On anyone else, it would look like they just walked out of prison, but on Rose, it looked amazing. I had a feeling she could make anything look amazing.

Alice put on dark-wash leggings, a long, dark gold (almost green) tunic shirt, and a ¾ sleeve black sweater. You would think something long would make Alice look shorter, but it didn't. Maybe it was the black high-heeled boots she paired with the outfit.

"You look fabulous, Bellsy. Now for the hair and makeup…" Alice grinned. It wasn't a happy grin, it was a devilish grin. She pushed me (once again!) into the bathroom, where Rose had put a stool. I was shoved down onto the stool and was attacked with a blow dryer by Rose, and a makeup brush by Alice.

Thirty minutes later, I had a curled side ponytail and natural looking makeup that gave me a certain glow. I had to admit, the two were good. I read a magazine while Alice and Rose finished getting ready. I did put on some black flats before Alice could shove me into some five-inch heels.

We took Alice's Porsche. She owned a Porsche. I felt so poor compared to these Cullens.

Alice pulled into a dress store I hadn't heard of. It must not be a chain store. I was proven correct when we walked in and saw it was a small yet fancy boutique that held mainly special occasion dresses, but still had a section of normal clothes, and even a selection of bikinis. It gave off a warm and homey vibe, making me instantly comfortable.

These girls clearly had shopped here before. They headed straight to the section that held homecoming dresses and threw a good handful into my arms. I found out later that they didn't really have a preference as to who was trying on what dress, because we all ended up trying on the whole stack ourselves.

We went through the entire pile, and I was the only one that didn't have a dress. Rose was the first to find her dress. It was red satin and strapless, and probably the shortest dress I've seen in awhile. It was also skintight, but she had the best body I knew of. Her legs looked miles long. The bust area had pieces of fabric that were placed to look like roses. I knew Emmett would find that hilarious, but the dress really looked beautiful on Rose. **(AN: dresses on blog too).**

Alice found hers second. When she said this was her dress, I was shocked. I shouldn't have been, because it was crazy and totally Alice, but it was just so _different. _Beautiful, but different. The dress was a pink animal print. It sounds horrible, but it was admittedly beautiful. It was also strapless, and went to just above her knees. The neckline had a V in the middle, but was otherwise straight. There was silver and pink crisscrossed beading just under Alice's bust, and stopping at her hips. Alice said Jasper would love the peak of cleavage. I rolled my eyes and said he would love her no matter what.

I wasn't so lucky. I had tried on at least ten dresses, but none I loved. Rose actually had to get an associate to help them find one because I was vetoing everything Alice and Rose picked. Finally, _finally, _the saleswoman picked the dress. I was very hesitant because it was so _short_, but Alice wasn't looking anymore and paid for the dress herself before I could change my mind.

The dress was purple (apparently they were taking the whole purple thing very seriously) and strapless, and it _was _really short. It hid mid-thigh, and I've never wore anything that short. The skirt was a bubble skirt, and it had a purple ribbon around the waist that tied into a bow towards my left side. The bust had the same thing as Rose's but mine were tinier and more of them. I really did love it, but I didn't think it fit me. Too late now.

I put my foot down on buying shoes. I told Alice that Rose had shoes I could borrow, and if they wanted to buy new shoes, they could go on their own. I was ready to go home.

But no, they decided to buy their shoes _now. _So here I am, sitting in the food court waiting for Edward. Yes, Alice called Edward to tell him to pick me up. Jerk.

I was busy drinking a strawberry smoothie when I felt something tickle my ear. "Boo," Edward's voice whispered. I jumped so far it was shocking I didn't drop my smoothie.

"Edward!" I yelled at him as he laughed and sat in the chair opposite me.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist," he grinned shamelessly. "So, did you find a dress?" he asked, and even managed to blush in the process. He was still sorry about having to ask me, I could tell. I internally sighed and told myself he was never get over it.

I nodded and took another sip. "I did, and I'm sure Alice will drag you shopping for a matching tie," I giggled. Edward's crooked grin appeared again.

"What are they doing now that you didn't feel the need to participate in?" he asked.

"They decided they needed more shoes, and I said I could just borrow one of their pairs in their closet. So Alice called you because she wanted to shop for shoes now," I explained.

_**Edward Cullen**_

She was so beautiful. Every little part about her. Her giggle was the single best sound I've ever heard.

And she didn't like shopping.

I don't know how I'm going to be able to keep my feelings hidden. All I want to do is grab her and kiss her, and hold her hand as we walked through the mall.

But I won't. Instead I opted for a little harmless flirting like this morning. As soon as she let go of her smoothie, I grabbed the cup. "Oh, can I have some? Thanks," I smiled.

"No!" she squealed, trying to reach for it. I drank some before she grabbed it back. "My smoothie," she huffed, cradling it to her. She couldn't hold back her smile, though, and I saw it. _The way it lights up her face…_

"Mmm, that was tasty," I laughed. "Mind if I go buy one?"

"I'll go with you," she said, standing up.

We started wandering the mall after I bought my smoothie. I had asked her if she wanted to go home, but she said the mall wasn't so bad with me.

I saw her eyes widen and become full of excitement as we passed the bookstore. I grabbed her hand, ignored the giant sparks flying through my body, and pulled her into the store. She smiled in appreciation at me and led me to a section.

I pretended to be looking at books, but really I was watching Bella. She looked so full of life and _happy. _I'd never seen her this happy since I've known her. Granted, it hasn't been that long, only a week, but it felt like forever.

She grabbed a book and plopped down right there in the aisle to read it. That made me smile wider. Such a free spirit, Bella was.

I took a classic and went to sit in the actual chairs made for reading. I'm not sure how long it was before Bella found me, her arms full of books. "Help me," she said as she walked over. "I don't have enough money for all these, and I can't decide which I want."

I picked up the entire stack from the chair she just set them down on. "I do," I said simply, and starting walking towards the check-out. She protested the whole way, but I refused to give in. I would do anything to see that sparkle in her eyes again.

"You really, _really _didn't have to do that," she said as we exited the store.

"_Si, che faccio._" I wasn't explaining to her why, so I kept it simple.

"Well, thank you very much," she said quietly. I looked over at her. Bella looked like she was contemplating something.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently. Her head shook and she looked at me confused for a moment before she nodded. She looked like she had just woken up from a daydream. Her eyes were a little hazy.

She refused to tell me what was wrong, fine. I just needed to know if she was okay. She smiled at me and assured me she was. Her smile wasn't very convincing, but I believed her. For now.

**Author's Note**

**Translation:**

_**Si, che faccio-**_**Yes, I did**

**Thanks for reading! The outfits and dresses are on my blog, so go check those out and let me know what you think of them!**

**What do you think of the flirting? Too much? Not enough? **

**Please review! I'm not feeling very much inspiration right now, but maybe you all can change that. Otherwise who knows how long it could be before the next post…**

**Signing off,**

**Meggie Jay**


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